For Aaya
by littlefiction
Summary: It's Aaya's birthday, so Hatori, Shigure and yes, even Ritchan want to give him something very precious.


Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Baskets, Natsuki Takaya does. If I owned it, there would be no Akito, and therefore many characters would not make sense. Luckily for you, I don't.

Warning: implied mxm sort of, but no specific pairing.

For Aaya

"A-A-Ayame-nii san?"

"Why, Ritchan! I'm overcome with joy that you came! I was so worried you wouldn't come!"

"Y-Y-Y-yes, I'm sorry, I- I must offend you terribly by coming, I-I'll apologize, I'll apologize to the-"

"Don't you dare!"

"B-but…"

"No. Don't you dare apologize unless you mean it, do you mean to say you regret coming to see me tonight?"

"N-no…"

"Well then, did you get me a present?"

"I, I wanted to get you something special, but I didn't know what to get, so I asked Hatori-san and Shigure-nii and they both agreed…"

"Really?" Ayame gasped, "Hatori agreed with Shigure? It's a sign of the apocalypse!"

"The apocalypse! And all because I asked them a question! It's all my fault, I'm so sorry! I apologize! I apologize to the-"

"RITCHAN!" Ayame shouted sternly, effectively getting the attention of everyone in the hall, including the DJ, who turned off the music. "Ritchan, it's an expression, you didn't really cause the apocalypse. Now, you were saying, Hatori and Shigure agreed?"

"Y-yes… Um… I'm sorry!" Ritchan ran over to the DJ, whispered something in his ear, to which he responded cheerfully until Ritchan went into another fit of hysterics.

"Ritchan!" Ayame pouted, it was his birthday after all, and Ritchan was ignoring him.

"Aaya-nii san!" Ritchan ran back to him, and the DJ started a new song that was clearly designed with the intent to inspire sexually frustrated teenagers to bump against each other. Ritsu stopped a couple steps away from Ayame, and, doing his best to give Aaya a seductive gaze (which was, Ayame thought, very precious, and rather pathetic), he sauntered over to him, grabbed Ayame's hand, and started pulling him onto the dance floor, a deep blush on his cheeks as the others at the party cheered him on. He led Ayame to the center of the room, and then froze, when it came time to dance.

Ayame chuckled softly.

"Here, Ritchan, give me your hands." Ritsu obeyed. "Good, now, when I pull this hand, pull my other hand, ok? Good. Now, we're gonna switch now, and I want you to move your hips in the opposite direction." Sadly, it's very difficult to move your hips when you think your being judged and are afraid to offend people. Ritsu managed to tangle himself and fall, bringing Aaya down with him, laughing the entire time.

"I-I"

"Don't apologize Ritchan, that was wonderful! More fun than I've had in a very long time! And coming from me that's saying something! And I'm so proud of you for walking up to me and trying to seduce me like that, this is the best gift ever, Ritsu! Now come, let's go on the patio before we get hurt."

Ayame lead Ritsu to the patio with relative ease, since the monkey was still in shock at what he had just done. Ayame leaned on the rail and looked out over a beautiful pond, allowing his thoughts to wander to the one person who he wished most earnestly would come, the one person who, it seemed, would not.

"Aaya-nii san? What's wrong?"

"Our costumes, Shigure's and mine, are part of a set. The third isn't here, it's a shame no one will ever see the full set."

"What are your costumes supposed to be? Ah! I'm sorry, did I offend you?"

"Not at all, you know I love to talk about my designs. Our costumes are based on a skit Shigure, Hatori and I wrote in elementary school. I am the sad Prince, who no one can hear no matter how loud he speaks. You see these chains? They are supposed to be symbolic of the many repressive forces in the life of the sad prince, but the vibrant colors of the fabrics represent the inner passion of the sad prince. Shigure's character is Kaiba, whose job is to guard the sad prince. His bright wig symbolizes the mask he wears to fool the sad prince, while the grays of his costume represent his shady personality."

"What is the third costume, Aaya-nii san?"

Aaya sighed.

"The third is Hatori's, Count Ryou, who is supposed to-" Suddenly, all the lights in the ball and the garden shut off, and Ayame could feel himself lifted onto someone's velvet covered shoulder. It was a very familiar shoulder.

Suddenly, on the make shift stage, a spotlight shown brightly onto a strange sight. Ayame was panting, his wrist held tightly in a white-gloved hand. The man holding his wrist was a dark haired figure, wearing a classic black trench coat and a scrunched up version of a top hat.

"H-Hatori!"

"Yes, little one, it is I, Count Ryou, come to sweep you off your feet and carry you into the sunset!"

"You came…" Ayame stared adoringly at his childhood friend, tears welling in his eyes.

Hatori put a hand over the mic attached to his trench coat.

"Aaya, the sad prince isn't supposed to start crying until Act II."

Shigure came charging in.

"Unhand the prince, you fiend! He's mine!"

"I'm not sad…" Ayame whispered, overcome with joy.

End

Wow. That was far more random than I originally intended. Oh well, a little randomness won't hurt.


End file.
